John Harris Carney

Funeral Mass for John Harris Carney of Tyler, will be held Saturday, March 5, 2016, at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception with Monsignor Milam Joseph and Bishop Joe Strickland officiating.

Burial will follow in Cathedral in the Pines in Tyler under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home.

Mr. Carney, devoted husband, loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, dedicated coach, and faithful servant passed away on his 86th birthday, March 2, 2016.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Charles V. and Kathryn Harris Carney, stepmother, Alma Burke Carney, brothers, Joseph H Carney and Jerome H Carney, and infant sister, Margaret Allyne Carney.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Barbara Vallely Carney, sister, Mary Carney Hauptman Conway and husband, Melvin of Maripasa, CA. Seven sons and four daughters: Daniel Carney and wife, Angela of Mesa View, CO; Dennis Carney and wife, Christine of Columbus, OH; Dr. David Carney and wife, Debra of Whitehouse; Kathryn Blalock and husband, Clarence of Tyler; Dale Carney and wife, Judith of Flint; Dr. Donald Carney and wife, Cathleen of Athens; Carolyn Wright and husband, Robert of Land O'Lakes, FL; Douglas Carney and partner, Michael Flores of Dallas; Karen Culpepper and husband, Mark of Tyler; Damon Carney and wife, Bradi of Arlington; Christine Maxwell and husband, Mitchell of Dallas; and a joyous multitude of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

John was born March 2, 1930 in Lancaster, PA. The family moved to Texas when he was 9 months old. His mother, Kate passed away in 1938, not long after the birth of her fifth child, Margaret, who died shortly thereafter. The four children lived with their maternal grandmother, Mary Etta Hand Harris for a time and were then placed in an orphanage in Dallas where they stayed until their father remarried in 1945. The family settled in Tyler where John graduated from Tyler High School in 1948. In his senior year, John met Barbara Vallely who had just moved from Birmingham, AL. They married at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on July 14, 1951. John graduated from Tyler Junior College and attended The University of Texas at Austin. Returning to Tyler, they started their family. John worked for a janitorial supply company, East Texas Chemical Company, which he later purchased. He also started a janitorial service, ETCO Janitorial Service. The company grew from a handful of employees to 181 when he built a new facility in Tyler's Industrial Park on John Carney Drive.

Next to his family, John's second love was sports. He had an extensive competitive career as a pitcher in men's fast-pitch softball for over 30 years. His love of sports transitioned into a coaching career of over five decades. John coached basketball for St. Gregory Elementary, basketball and softball for Bishop Thomas K Gorman Catholic high school, women's softball and men's basketball for the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, and softball for All Saints Episcopal High School. He coached the Immaculate Conception Men's Church League team to two consecutive state championships and coached the Immaculate Conception Women's Church League team to the nationals eleven times winning two national championships.

John has been honored by the Knights of Columbus, served on the Tyler Catholic School Board, served on the Diocesan Board for the Catholic Diocese of Tyler, was named a TJC Distinguished Ex-Student, received the Tyler Catholic School's Appreciation Award, received the Texas Armature Athletic Federation Contributors Appreciation Award, was inducted into the Texas Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame, and received the Milam Joseph Hope for Humanity Award.

In 1996, St. Gregory Elementary School dedicated their new facility, The John H Carney Gymnasium, to Mr. Carney. In 2013, Bishop Thomas K Gorman Middle School and High School dedicated their softball field, The John H Carney Field, to Mr. Carney.

John Carney lived his life in service to others and was a true humanitarian.

Pallbearers will be Daniel Carney, Dennis Carney, David Carney, Dale Carney, Donald Carney, Douglas Carney and Damon Carney.

Visitation is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, March 4, 2016, at Stewart Family Funeral Home with Rosary to follow at 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the John H. Carney Softball Endowment Fund, Tyler Catholic School Foundation, P.O. Box 131175, Tyler, 75713

The family would like to thank Dr. Gary Gross and his staff at The Blood and Cancer Center for their loving care and kindness.